And when the slugger at the plate hits one out of the park, it'll truly be something to cheer about.

"You may not see many of those because of the vertical configuration of the ballpark," said Alan Shubert, the El Paso city engineer overseeing the planned Downtown ballpark project. "Bring a glove."

Shubert is working alongside architects, contractors and team owners to develop the Triple-A ballpark -- and stay within its $50 million budget.

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Cindy Ramirez

"We're still working on finalizing seating and some amenities, but we have a good idea of what it will look like," Shubert said.

The physical position of the planned ballpark follows what has become standard design and construction of these venues, which takes into consideration the direction of the sun, the wind and other factors.

But El Paso's ballpark will be unique in its architecture, art and ambience, Shubert and other officials said.

The difference is in the details.

Leave the binoculars at home, Shubert said. Because of the tight fit, it will be a lot more vertical than other parks -- putting spectators closer to the action. Upper-level seating and a building, possibly a clubhouse, may keep the baseballs from flying outside the park.

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The design theme will be based on the Union Depot and incorporate architectural details found in the region's historic buildings such as the Kress Building in Downtown. It will also pay homage to the city's baseball past through a variety of art forms.

"The first direction we gave the architect was, 'We want you to respect the architecture of the city of El Paso.' That doesn't mean copy it, but study it, understand it," Shubert said.

Given the ballpark's location and the city's history, it didn't take long for ideas to flow.

"The architects walked up and saw the train depot and said, 'Oh, my God, there it is,' " Shubert said.

Historically known as the El Paso Union Passenger Depot, the building opened in 1906 and was the first international train station in the United States. Eight railroads moved in and out of the city around that point, including the Mexico Central Railroads. The depot was designed by architect Daniel Burnham, who also designed the Washington, D.C., Union Station. The Union Depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

The ballpark will feature a tower at the entrance, much like the one on the Union Depot, and may include the 130-year-old clock previously housed at the Insights El Paso Science Center.

Waiting to swing

The city's plans call for Insights to be demolished alongside the City Hall building in March or April to make way for the ballpark. In June, the City Council agreed to build the ballpark if MountainStar Sports Group, a group of local private investors, acquired a Triple-A minor league baseball team. In September, the council approved signing a contract with MountainStar for the lease of the stadium, as well as a development agreement outlining the process for designing and building the ballpark.

In October, MountainStar announced that it had become the owners of the Tucson Padres and that the team would move to El Paso for the 2014 season as planned.

Since then, the city has been awarding multimillion-dollar design and construction contracts for the ballpark, and relocating its services and employees as it readies to implode City Hall.

The city is at bat, but it still faces some challenges before it can swing.

Next week, the city's legal counsel will be in Travis County asking a court to declare all of its actions related to the ballpark as legal and valid. If the court rules in favor of the city, it will in essence end a number of lawsuits and petitions trying to stop the demolition of City Hall.

Shubert and Alan Ledford, president of MountainStar Sports Group, said they're proceeding with plans unless the court dictates otherwise.

"Opposition is not uncommon," Ledford said. "But at this point we move forward so we're ready to go and provide the community with a quality, state-of-the art ballpark and bring Triple-A baseball to the region."

El Paso's ballpark

The city contracted Populous, a design and architecture firm that specializes in ballparks, arenas and stadiums, to design the Downtown ballpark.

"We are delighted to be a part of the exciting times ahead for El Paso as this ballpark becomes an integral part of the city's new urban master plan," David Bower, principal at Populous, said in a statement.

"Our goal will be to capture the energy, culture and sense of community that is unique to El Paso in the stadium design," Bower said.

Populous has designed 85 ballparks -- including Yankee Stadium in New York and Marlins Park in Miami. Among its extensive portfolio are 13 Triple-A ballparks.

The Populous design of El Paso's ballpark will feature neighborhood spaces -- areas for gathering and hospitality for fans of different ages and interests. These spaces may include berm seating, a kids' play area, and closed and open group meeting spaces. The ballpark will also have office space, areas for weight training, therapy, fitness and possibly retail space.

"As we get into the concerns over budget and issues of what we can afford versus what we want, we will build less if necessary but we will not compromise the quality," Shubert said.

The ballpark will have a seating capacity of between 7,000 to 9,000 seats, with about 20 luxury suites and between 250 and 300 club seats.

Ledford described the ballpark as a "major league stadium on a minor league scale."

"You'll have the best seats than you can get in any major league stadium, but at a price that's definitely minor league," Ledford said. "The vistas will make it great."

When it comes to the ballpark site, the public will be able to:

See right into the park from Franklin Street, where the main entrance will be located.

Stand on Missouri Street and look down into it through the fencing.

See the Downtown skyline from the left field stands, the mountains from the right field stands, and a little of each from behind home plate.

"We want people to see this thing on TV and know immediately this is El Paso's ballpark," Shubert said.

The stadium will be named after a corporate sponsor, which Ledford said MountainStar is seeking, but will include "El Paso" in its name.

The Tucson Padres will also be renamed when they come to the Sun City, though Ledford wouldn't provide any hints as to a possible name. He said the community will be involved in choosing a name, either by submitting ideas or participating in a contest or poll.

Baseball past, future

To add a touch of art and history to the ballpark, the city is contracting with Ball-Nogues, a pair of renowned Los Angeles artists, as well as acclaimed artist and muralist Gaspar Enriquez to depict the region's baseball past.

The Ball-Nogues Studio comprises Benjamin Ball, who grew up in California and Iowa, and Gaston Nogues, a native of Buenos Aires who grew up in Los Angeles. They specialize in architecture and industrial design.

Enriquez, an El Paso native known for his Chicano art, was among a handful of notable artists featured in an international exhibit spearheaded by art enthusiast and actor Cheech Marin.

"We're very happy the history of baseball will be told throughout the ballpark," said Larry Hernandez, president of the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame. Hernandez said the Hall of Fame group has met with the ballpark designers to talk about the city's rich baseball past.

"No matter how it's done, it's important to include that historical perspective for future generations," said Hernandez, a 1999 inductee. "The young kids -- and everyone who comes to the ballpark, really -- should have a sense of what baseball has meant to this community over the years and the caliber of players who have played here."

Hernandez rattled off a list of local Hall of Fame members and their accomplishments, including Sid and Andy Cohen after whom the city's existing ballpark in Northeast El Paso is named.

El Paso baseball dates back to the early 1900s when the El Paso Mackmen played in the Rio Grande Association. The El Paso Texans played under several different leagues from the 1930s to 1950s, and the El Paso Sun Kings were the city's baseball team through 1973.

The El Paso Diablos were formed in 1974 as a Double-A team, playing in Dudley Field in Central El Paso. The field is now part of the El Paso Zoo. The Diablos moved to Cohen Stadium in 1990 and became an independent team in 2005.

"We have had incredible talent," Hernandez said. "It's important to showcase it."

Ledford maintains that baseball is more than a sport. It's an experience, he said.

"There's an experience, there's a spot, there's a price point for everybody here," Ledford said. "This is El Paso's ballpark. The look and feel will express and reflect El Paso."

That will include the colors, the food, the music -- the overall atmosphere.

"Whatever the community envisions today," Ledford continued, "what they will experience in 2014 will be beyond anything they may have imagined."